6 Things No One Tells You About Moving To NYC

Photo Credit: @thefestiveanthropologist

By: Emilie Moy

So you've just graduated college and are looking to make the move to the Big Apple. Every summer, recent college graduates pack up their bags, book a ticket, and leave their past behind in an effort to make it in Manhattan. But, before you take the plunge, you might want to read up on a few things like apartment rents, job hunting, and networking, to ensure you know what lies ahead for you. So to make things easier, we decided to put together six secrets no one tells you about moving to NYC. So sit back, relax, and maybe pour a glass of wine if you need!

1. You will meet your friends when you least expect it

One of the greatest things about the city is that it’s unpredictable. The city attracts diverse individuals who are from all over the world yet share things in common. Therefore, it’s really impossible to go a day without meeting someone new. If you’re from a small town this concept can be totally foreign because you probably grew up knowing your friends or met your close friends while in college. In New York a lot of people meet their best friends later on in life. Whether you’re in a massive line at Whole Foods or out at a bar on a random Tuesday, there really are no rules when it comes to meeting people, and sometimes life long friendships are formed in places you least expect so all you can do is embrace this opportunity.

2. Dating apps are everywhere

Dating apps in college carry a stigma that either solicits judgement or puts you in a minority group of people who swipes around on Tinder. Welcome to the other side, where people are constantly swiping throughout the city in an effort to meet people. Obviously this isn't the only way to find yourself a date, but it's nice to know that you have a number of options when it comes to the city's dating scene.

3. Everyone has a side hustle

Even if you’ve managed to land your dream job and beat out thousands of applicants, at some point you’ll find yourself wanting to get a peek at your next career move. Industry leaders who you look up to got where they are because they recognized that using their side hustle is vital to advancing in your career and exploring your passions. Don’t expect your friends or your coworkers to fill you in on how their balancing their work and their hustle either. Most people are quietly working on projects on their own time while still working a 9-5 job. The only real proof of the hustle is when their LinkedIn profile is suddenly updated. Though it can be tough working on your career around the clock, it’s both admirable and necessary to tend to your side hustle as industries become more and more competitive.

4. It’s a small world and an even smaller city

Even though you're not in college anymore, your reputation is still important in the real world too. Industries are small and people move around often. It should go without saying that people also talk. Whether it was something you said to a former boss or an article you worked on with a colleague, the good and the bad will no doubt come back to you in some way later down the road. No matter how you feel about someone, it’s a good reminder to bite your tongue in an effort not to burn bridges.

5. Your apartment will be nothing like Carrie Bradshaw’s

New York City rent is crazy-expensive, even for people like Anna Wintour, so naturally it’s safe to assume your apartment rent is going to be 80% of your paycheck. Although Carrie’s paycheck as an freelance writer got her a walk-in closet in a west village brownstone, in reality it would take a million paychecks to afford that kind of life. While you're apartment hunting, know what you're willing to sacrifice and what your deal breakers are in order to find a place you can be happy with and that's within your budget.

6. Your Voice Is Your Most Valuable Tool

As a New Yorker you will experience things that beg to ruin your day. In your half hour commute to work you may be catcalled by strangers, shoved in the subway car, and more often caught receiving the brunt of some one else's bad day. This comes with the territory of living in a crowded city and you'll learn to brush these things off when they happen. Even more so, it becomes obvious how important it is to stand up for yourself and to use your voice as a source of good. Because there's so many of us, it's important to have each other's backs and to speak up for what's right.